The Ghost at the Bureau
by Arisia
Summary: Don't want to give too much away...I think the title says a lot. Character death, but don't let that stop you from reading.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Ghost at the Bureau

Rating: M for language and possible sexual content in future chapters.

Spoiler: Nothing specific so far, just a general knowledge of the show through season 4

Disclaimer: Just like everybody else here, I don't own Bones, except the ones I was born with and the 3 seasons on DVD.

A/N: I have no idea how long this story will be or how long it will take me to write it. I have a sometimes stressful full-time job and writing helps me unwind at the end of the day.

"Bren, are you spending the night?" Angela asked from the base of the platform.

"Of course not. I want to finish the analysis of these remains before I leave. It shouldn't be much longer."

Angels sighed, "Did you forget?"

"No, I have an exceptional memory. We are going to some new club you have been telling me about. However, I'm still not sure why you want to go. Or more to the point, why you want me to go. You would have much more fun alone, or with one of your other friends."

"Brennan, I want you to go. You are my best friend and somewhere in the best friend rule book it says that I have to make sure you see the outside world at least once a year. You know, the place where there aren't skeletons piled to the ceiling and live people exist, with the sole purpose of having fun. Besides, the name of the club is Evolution. Who else would I take?"

Brennan smiled at her friend. "I highly doubt the existence of such a book, but I think I understand what you're saying." Brennan placed the bone she was holding back in it's container, placed the lid on the box, and placed it on the shelf. "And I am now ready to leave."

Angela smiled, looked Brennan up and down and frowned. "Is that what you're wearing?"

"No, actually, I need to run home and change. Give me the address of the club and I will meet you there in an hour or so."

Angela looked doubtful, but wrote directions down and handed them to Brennan."Call me when you get ready to leave. I'll be out front looking for you. And if you haven't called with the hour, I _will _come get you."

They walked to the parking garage together, Angela chattering about the club and how much fun they were going to have, and how many hot guys they could hook up with. Brennan smiled and let Ange talk. She really was looking forward to a night out, if from only an anthropological view point.

Angela waited a few minutes and dialed Booth's number.

"Booth" was the terse reply.

"Hey, Booth, it's Angela. I was wondering if you could help me out tonight."

Booth laughed. "I'm not sure...."

"Seriously, Booth. Bren is supposed to meet me at Evolution tonight, in about a hour. I want you to make sure she shows up. She's been working 18, sometimes 20 hours a day for the last two weeks and, whether she knows it or not, she needs a night out to unwind."

Booth knew this was true. No matter what time he walked into the Jeffersonian, she was there. "Ok, I'll make sure she's there."

Brennan arrived home and quickly went through her closet to find something Angela would approve of. Pulling out a pair of tight jeans and a white low cut top, she changed and mad her way back to her car.

"Don't you fuckin' touch me, again!" a woman scream.

"Look, bitch, you owe me! You're the one who made the promises, now it's time to pay up."

Brennan whipped around and saw a woman, who she recognized as a neighbor, being pushed into a car. The woman fought her way back out and tried to run, but the man grabbed her arm and pushed her back against the vehicle.

"Let go of her!" Brennan screamed as she ran toward the fighting couple. "She obviously doesn't want to go with you."

"Mind your own, bitch." the man growled as he pushed the woman into the car once again.

Brennan, never being one to back down, used one of her favorite karate moves to get the man away from the car and down on the ground. She positioned herself between the man and the now hysterical woman.

The man howled in anger and pain as he jumped to his feet. Before Brennan could react, he plunged a knife in her chest.

Booth, true to his word, was headed to Brennan's place to ensure she joined Angela at Evolution. What a name for a night club, he thought. It sounded like someplace his Bones would go. He smiled at the thought of watching Bones and Angela get a little tipsy and letting go. He would give a month's pay just to watch Bones get drunk and wild.

As he turned the corner, he saw her running away from her car. As if in slow motion, he watched as she confronted someone, a man, and do a number on him. Then, to his horror, he watched her slump to the ground. He slammed the SUV into park and ran toward her. He man she had fought with was moving around the car, attempting to flee the scene. A woman was sprawled next to Bones on the sidewalk.

"Freeze, FBI!" Booth yelled. The man jumped into his car and sped off.

His first thought was to give chase, then he saw Bones. The red stain spreading on her white shirt. The blood bubbling from her mouth. The wide-eyed look of shock.

He pulled out his phone and dialed 911, gave the location and a brief description of the circumstances. He then dropped his phone and knelt by Bones, lifting her tenderly into his arms.

She looked at his in confusion, "I tried...he..."

"Shh, an ambulance is on it's way. You can tell me everything later. You'll be fine." He whispered, praying it was true.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry."

Booth held her close as she took her final shaky breath.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N all previous disclaimers apply.

Booth returned home from his weekly trip to the cemetery. Each Friday, he made the trip to place fresh flowers on her grave, as well as her mother's.

He flipped on the TV as he walked to the kitchen to get a beer. He wanted, maybe needed, something stronger, but he knew he could not get drunk right now. He had to stay sober so he could work the next day. There had been way too many days in the last few months he'd been too hungover to get out of bed.

Cullen spoken to him privately about his 'problem'. When that hadn't had any noticeable effect, he ordered Booth to attend counseling. Booth refused to admit he had a problem and had ended up on probation. Every case he was given, he had to file daily reports. Of course, the cases were usually wrapped up in a matter of days, if not hours. Low-end and low-priority cases that the average rookie would have laughed at.

Booth finally caved and started seeing Sweets again. It was hard walking into the shrink's office, knowing that Bones would not be there waiting for one of their sessions. During the first of these new sessions. he was keenly aware of the empty space on the couch.

Booth snapped out of his self-pity when the evening news came on.

_Nearly six months to the day, the man believed responsible for the death of famed mystery writer and forensic anthropologist, Temprance Brennan has been arrested. Daniel Halcomb is also suspected in the deaths of three other woman in the DC area. Dr. Brennan, as you may remember, died while saving Halcomb's possible fourth victim from an attempted abduction._

Booth stood in his living room transfixed by Bones' image on his TV screen. He knew, pretty much right down to the minute how long Bones had been gone, but it was a shock to hear it announced like that. Nearly six months. Almost half of a was still hard to think about her and not feel a tightening around his heart.

He brushed his fingers over a picture of her on top of his TV as he passed by, "I miss you, Bones. Everyday."

Booth stopped short when he got a slight whiff of her perfume. He pause and inhaled. Nothing_. _He had been having, well, he didn't know what to call them. He'd smelled her perfume once before, when he was standing at her grave. But he brushed it off at the smell of some flowers. He thought he saw her standing at his bedroom door one night, but that, he was sure, was an alcohol-induced hallucination. Did he miss her so much that his mind was making him think she was still around? Damn, maybe he did need those therapy sessions with Sweets.

Monday afternoon rolled around and Booth had an appointment with Sweets. He debated telling him what he was seeing, feeling, and smelling. He was sure that it had something to do with the grieving process, but, well, maybe not.

Sweets was a few minutes late for their session, so Booth took his seat and waited. When Sweets entered, Booth noticed he didn't look like the same kid that he and Bones worked with such a short time ago. He looked more serious and realized that he and Angela weren't he only one who missed Bones. The kid missed her, too. And her death had taken a toll on all of them.

"Agent Booth, I'm sorry for the delay. I had another patient who ran over a little."

Booth shook his head, "No problem. I don't really think this is going to be very productive day."

"Why is that?" Sweets wanted to know.

"I went to the cemetery yesterday. It still feels so.." Booth trailed off and shrugged.

"Maybe you stay away for a while. Until the pain is a little more manageable."

Booth shook his head, "Nope, can't do that. I take her fresh flowers every Friday. Daffodils and daisies. I owe her that much, at least."

Sweets nodded.

Booth, never one to feel comfortable with silence, began to speak. "Sometimes, I don't know, it's like she's still here. I'll be in the middle of something and I will see something out of the corner of my eye. And just for a moment, I'll think it's her."

Sweets watched him for a moment, with his hands together and propped under his chin. "I would think that's normal. How do you feel when you think she's still with you?"

Booth glanced up at the young doctor. _How the hell do you think I feel? _was his first thought. He said, "Good. Just for that brief moment, everything is good. Then I remember." Booth lowered his head, his shoulders shaking.

Sweets was sure he was crying, but when Booth raised his head once again, he was laughing. "You know, sometimes, I think I'm loosing my mind."

"How so?"

"Never mind. It's not important."

"You brought it up, Agent Booth. Tell me."

Booth sighed, "Last night, I came across some pictures taken at Parker's last birthday party. There were a lot of Bones and Parker together. And a few of the three of us. I started thinking about that day and how relaxed she was and how much fun we'd had. I mean, it was a 7 year-old's party, but we really did have fun. Just relaxing, hanging out." Booth smiled, thinking about that day once again. "Well, I guess I kinda got lost in thought and I...just for a second, felt her beside me. I could feel her arm around my shoulder, like she was leaning in to look at the pictures with me."

Sweets didn't really know what to say. He started to speak, but Booth stopped him.

"I'm sure you know that Bones and I didn't even come close to the same beliefs. She was an Atheist and I am Catholic. She believed that once you died, that was it, no more. Eternal darkness, nothing after this. But when I felt her beside me, I sensed that she was at peace."

"That's important to you." Sweets said.

"Yeah. Yeah, it is."


	3. Chapter 3

A bright light was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. It was almost too bright to bear, but her eyes remained open. As the light began to fade, she could feel her body become heavy. She seemed to be falling, but unable to lift her arms to break the fall. Then as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

She found herself sitting on a large rock at the edge of a wide open field. She looked around, amazed at the beauty of her surroundings. The grass in the field was the greenest she'd ever seen. The sky above was bluer than she would have believed possible. She felt at peace for the first time since...Since when? She realized at that moment she couldn't really remember anything before this place.

She tried to relax and let her mind wander but began to panic when she couldn't remember basic facts. Who was she? Where was she? Why was she here? Where was..who? Someone was missing but she couldn't remember who it could have been.

She tried to get up and walk around, but she found that she could not move. Suddenly, there was a strong wind. The pressure of it was surrounding her on all sides. Not just pushing around her, but into her. Filling her with knowledge. She slowly started remembering. At first, it was small things, her name, memories of her life. Then, she remembered her death. She had always believed that death was the end. Once all organ systems quit functioning, there was nothing. Temperance Brennan had never been more wrong in her life.

The night _it_ happened still wasn't completely clear to her. She knew she had been in a panic. She remember the look in the man's eyes and the pain in her chest. The next, and last, thing she remembered was Booth. The look of sheer terror in his eyes as he held her. Trying to convince her, or maybe himself, that she was going to be all right. She knew better. She could feel herself fading away, almost as if she were disappearing. Although it was painful, the worst pain she had ever felt, she was comforted by the fact that she would not die alone, or unloved. Booth was with her and in those final moments, she knew that he had always loved her.

She smiled, thinking about Booth. Maybe he was right about the after-life. She didn't see any Pearly Gates or roads paved with gold, but she'd been wrong about there being nothing after death. She wondered briefly if this was all there was. Would she spend all eternity in this place? When Booth died, would he join her here?

The instant that thought entered her mind, felt, more than saw, another light. When the light faded, she was standing beside Booth. She reached for him, but was unable to touch him. The fact he was near calmed her somewhat, but the fact he was crying tore her apart.

She looked around and saw they were in his apartment. Booth had never been the best housekeeper in the world, but she'd never seen his place look like this. Empty pizza boxes and fast food bags piled up around the couch and she was sickened by the number of liquor bottles and beer bottles that littered nearly every surface.

He had the TV on, but muted. There was a nearly full bottle of Scotch on the coffee table, but no glass. She stood by helplessly and watched as he brought the bottle to his lips and swallowed. Booth sighed and leaned back. "I'm so sorry, Bones. I couldn't help you this time." He took another swallow from the bottle.

Temperance had never felt so useless before. She, more than anything, wanted to help Booth. She wished he could give her a guy hug to make him feel better. Well, since that wasn't possible, she did what she could. She sat next to him on the couch and leaned in against him, wishing that he was aware of her presence.

Booth stiffened and turned in her direction. He quickly jumped up and started pull the cushions and pillows from the couch, sniffing each one before throwing it aside. Temperance watched as a tear slid down his cheek. All the pillows were on the floor and Booth was still frantically searching for something. She could hear him mumbling to himself. "She must have left _something_ here." He turned quickly, grabbing an empty bottle and throwing it against the nearest wall. It seemed to give him some satisfaction, so he did the same with another bottle. Then another. When a dozen or so bottle had shattered, he stopped and returned to the couch, picking up one of the discarded cushions and sitting down. The bottle of Scotch once again in his shaking hand, he took a long swig.

She would never have thought her death would effect him this way. She believed he would be sad, grieve for a short time, but never let himself fall apart like this. She couldn't stand by and watch him self-destruct.

"Stop it, Booth!" she screamed. "You're killing yourself. Please, stop what you are doing and think about Parker!"

Temperance stood in disbelief as Booth dropped the bottle he was holding and once again turned in her direction.

"I'm loosing it." He looked at the bottle in the floor at his feet. "God, I need help."

He staggered into his bedroom and fell across the bed. He sank into a deep sleep almost imediatly. The dream started, just like they did every night.

The dream started different every night. Just snippets of the last few years. All of the times he should have told her he loved her, but didn't.

The dreams always ended the same, watching as her casket was lowered into the ground, nex to her mother.

Tonight the dream was different. Instead of her casket being lowered in to the ground, he watched her walk across his bedroom in that beautiful blue dress. She sat on the edge of his bed and stroked his cheek. "I'm sorry, Booth. Please, let someone help you." Then she was gone.

Booth woke up, for a few minutes he just lay there, inhaling a scent he had thought he would never smell again. It was a mixture of her perfume and shampoo, and her own unique scent.

He reached for the phone and dial an all-too familiar number.

"Dr. Sweets office."

"Yeah, Sweets, it's Booth. I think I need to make an appointment. I can't do this alone any more."

A/N: Brennan'a experience in the field is based on a dream I had when I was a child. My mother died when I was 7 and shortly after that, I dreamed that she was in a field, sitting on a large rock. She smiled at me, but did't move or speak. I told my dad and he told me that there was a belief (sorry, can't remember the origin) that when we die, we go somewhere to re-learn everything we knew in life plus what we need to know for our new existence.


	4. Chapter 4

"So, Sweets, am I crazy? Have a finally gone off the deep end?" Booth asked, only half joking.

"Not at all, Agent Booth. "Sweets said as leaned back in his chair. "Some believe that it what is happening to you is part of the natural grieving process. You and Dr. Brennan were very close and, of course, you miss her. Your mind is creating situations to fill in the blanks, so to speak. You may find as your grief eases, so will these hallucinations, for lack of a better term."

Booth contemplated this. While the episodes were disturbing at the time, did he really want them to end? He wasn't sure. It felt good to be reminded of her is such a powerful way.

"I just have to wait it out then?"

Sweets nodded. "I would say so. Of course, I could give you something to help you realx at night. You did say that was when the happen, right? Just at home."

"Yeah, so far I haven't been wasting Bureau resources on hallucinations."

The two men sat there in silence for a few moments. "So, back to the main reason you're coming here; how's the drinking?"

"It's going well, thank you." Booth bit back.

Sweets shook his head. "You know what I'm talking about."

"Look, I haven't had more than a couple of beers since the night before I called you. Not that I don't want them, I just can't."

"You just quit. Cold turkey?" Booth nodded. "Did you find that difficult? Most people need a support system of some type. Have you been going to AA or another group?"

"No. I.." Booth wasn't sure he should continue. What the hell? The kid probably thought he was nuts anyway. "That night, well, it was a bad one. I'd been to the Jeffersonian. No case, I just wanted to be there. That was a mistake."

"Did something happen??" Sweets asked.

"No, it was just...I don't know. Not the same, I guess. Nothing is the same without Bones around. I stopped in and talk to Angela and Hodgins, but it wasn't like it used to be. Like we didn't really know what to say to each other. Without Bones there to, I don't know, give us a common bond, we are didn't have anything to talk about." Booth paused, putting his face in his hands, "The center didn't hold."

"What was that?" Sweets asked.

"Nothing." Booth said, shaking his head. "Just something Bones and I talked about a long time ago."

"You were telling me what happened on the day you called for an appointment." Sweets said, trying to get the session back on track.

"Yeah, Um, I stopped in to see the Squints and after that, I went to the cemetery. I spent a while there, then I went home." Booth knew he was skimming over the day. He wasn't sure he wanted to tell Sweets, or anyone for that matter, about that night.

"And...?" Sweets prompted.

"When I got home, I settled down for a night of numbing myself. She'd been gone about three months. Three months, 2 weeks and 4 days, to be exact. I was trying to watch TV while trying to forget everything. I was pretty close to oblivion when I felt her, I smelled her scent. It was like she was sitting next to me. I knew that she'd probably left a scarf or something and it worked it's way behind the cushions in the couch. I started looking for it, but there was nothing there. I guess I just snapped. It all hit me at once. This was real. She was dead and I would never see her again. I had lost the best thing that ever happened to me and...I just lost it. I started throwing everything in sight. Mostly beer bottles, but I think a few pictures may have gotten destroyed as well. Anyway, I was running out of steam when I heard her. She told me to think about Parker, that I was killing myself."

Sweets watched Booth closely, trying to come up with an explanation for what he'd experienced.

"I went to bed and passed out. I woke up a little later and I swear I saw her standing in my bedroom."

"Alcohol induced hallucinations." Sweets said.

"So I'm not crazy, right?"

"No, you aren't crazy. You just need to learn to handle your grief. We can work on that next time."


	5. Chapter 5

Temperance was frustrated. She had tried repeatedly to get through to Booth, without success. After that first night, she had tried to talk to him, touch him, but he hadn't seemed to notice she was there. Well, that wasn't entirely true. There were a couple of times she thought he'd sensed her, but he hadn't said anything.

The key in the lock alerted her that Booth was home. He came in, hung his jacket on the coat rack and tossed the days mail on the coffee table. She'd been practicing moving things. She'd managed to knock the remote control off the table earlier that day. It had exhausted her, but she'd done it. Maybe she was getting the hang of this death thing.

Booth walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. "Let's see." he said as he searched for something to eat.

"Booth, there isn't anything worth eating in there. Might as well order out." Temperance said, looking over his shoulder, studying the contents along with him.

Booth sighed and closed the fridge. "Might as well order out." he said.

Temperance smiled. Maybe she was getting through to him after all. She followed booth through the apartment. She was glad to see the improvements over the last few months. He wasn't drinking as much, just a couple of beers now and then.

Of course, she often wondered why she was here if she couldn't do anything but watch him. Is this what happened to everyone when they died? They get to observe what they left behind? If this were true, where were the others like her? She couldn't be the only one. It didn't make much sense to her.

Booth settled in front of his computer, determined to get used to the damn thing.

Bones always commented on his discomfort with computers. Now that all reports were to be filed via inter-departmental email, he had no choice but to get over his phobia.

Temperance watched as he booted up his new laptop and worked his way through the many screens to get to his destination. He flipped through a stack of hand-written pages, sorting them, and making little notes and corrections.

"I hate this. I really really hate this." Booth mumbled as he started tying in his report. Several minutes passed and he seemed to have a good rhythm going. Temperance smiled as she watched Booth, whispering encouraging words to him. "You're getting the hang of it, Booth."

Booth paused in his typing to read over what he had so far. As he attempted to scroll back, he hit a button and the screen went black. "Son of a bitch!" he yelled as he tossed the laptop on the couch beside him. "I can't fuckin' believe it." Booth kicked the base of couch in frustration. "Forget it. I give up." Booth left the room, pulling off his shirt. Moments later, Temperance heard the shower running. She briefly thought about joining him, but something stopped her. She was looking at his laptop and his notes. She'd moved the remote, could she use his laptop? She remembered watching a program once about spirits manipulating electronic devices; causing the charge in batteries to be drain quickly, causing lights to flicker on and off or making the bulbs blow. Of course, at the time, she hadn't believed a word of it. But what if it were possible?

Summoning up all her strength, she turned the laptop on and started re-typing Booth's report on his latest case. She went through his papers and sorted through his information. She had typed the last line when she heard the shower stop.

A couple of minutes later, Temperance could see Booth crossing the hall from the bathroom to his bedroom with a towel slung low around his waist, water dripping from his wet hair. She felt a little tug low in her belly at the sight. She was slightly disappointed when he returned to the living room dressed in sweats and a t-shirt.

Booth sat on the couch and picked up his laptop. He had to get that report finished tonight, no excuses. He opened the program he needed and there it was, the finished report. "How?" he whispered. He read it over and it was better than anything he could have written. As he read the last line, his eyes were drawn to a familiar set of initials in the lower left hand corner. T. B.

"Bones?" He slowly looked around the living room. Although he couldn't see anything, he knew something, or someone, was there. "Bones, are you here?"

"I'm here, Booth. But I don't know if you can hear me, or see me."

"If you're here, do something. Show me." Booth felt ridiculous. He had written the report and just thought he'd lost it. That's what happened. But how did that explain the "T. B." in the corner?

Temperance tried. She put all the strength she could muster into using the computer. She wasn't sure she had anything left. all she could do was sit beside him and run her fingers through his damp hair.

Booth felt a chill run through his body. "Move something. Make a noise. Anything." Sweets was wrong. He was crazy.

Just then, his TV came on. He reached for the remote to turn down the sound, but it was gone. He glanced looked around him and saw it laying on the floor in front of the TV. Even if it had fallen off the table, there was no way it could have fallen that far.

"Booth, can you hear me?"

Booth dropped the remote and turned around. There she was, standing just a few feet in front of him, wearing the blue dress he and Angela had chosen for her burial.

Booth took the few steps needed to close the gap between them. He reached out for her, but stopped just short of actually touching her. "Are you real?"

"I think so. I'm not sure." Temperance replied. "I've never died before."

Booth stared at her, not knowing if his mind was playing tricks on him or if he was actually seeing the ghost of Temperance Brennan.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and kind words. You have no idea what they mean to me.

"I know I'm not drunk. I haven't had a drink in a week. I'm not sleeping, so this isn't a dream." Booth rubbed his eyes, and looked at her again. She was still there. He fell back on the couch and covered his face with his hands. "I am loosing my mind, but Sweets was afraid to tell me."

"Booth, I am pretty sure I'm here. But I can't vouch for your sanity, based on what I have been seeing lately."

"Yeah, well. It's been a rough year."

"You don't seem very happy to see me." Temperance said, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Well, a sane man doesn't see his dead partner's ghost every day. It's taking some getting used to.

"I guess that's true. But this isn't easy for me either." Booth watched her face fall into the pout she got when something was beyond her abilities.

"I've missed you so much, Bones. I wish this was real. You look and sound so much like you."

Her forehead wrinkled slightly, "Who else would I look and sound like?"

Booth laughed, and even to himself, it sounded slightly hysterical. "You would say something like that." Booth collapsed into the chair. "I wonder if I have a brain tumor or something. Normal people don't see ghosts. Maybe I stopped drinking too late. Fried too many brain cells."

Temperance didn't know what to do to convince him that she was actually there. It had taken so much effort to just be seen. Over the past few days, she'd come to realize that everything she wanted to do took so much energy and concentration.

"Booth, please." She whispered.

Booth looked up. "What's happening?" He watched as she slowly faded into a mist, her mouth moving, but no words could be heard. Then she vanished. For the rest of the evening, he continued to stare at the spot where she was standing, expecting her to reappear.

When sleep finally claimed him, he dreamed about her. She was sitting on the coffee table in front of him.

"Booth, I'm real. Or as real as I can be. I'm not a dream or a figment of your imagination. Please believe me. Believe in me. I need your strength." She brushed his hair back with her slender fingers and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I need you."

Booth woke just long enough to walk to the bedroom and climb into bed. The rest of the night was spent in a blissfully dreamless sleep.

Morning came too quickly for booth. When he rolled over, the alarm clock read 9:12 AM. "Shit." he mumbled and jumped out of bed. He'd overslept and was already almost 15 minutes late for work. By the time he showered and dressed, he'd be an hour or more late. He was ready to say screw it and go back to bed, but being on shaky ground at the bureau at the moment, he knew he needed to get a move on.

While he was in the shower, he thought back to the events of the night before. Had he really seen her? No, impossible. She was dead and in Heaven. He hoped she made it to Heaven. He had to believe that. One of the things that had kept him from eating his own gun was the fact that if he continued on and lived life the best he could, when he died, he would be reunited with her for all eternity.

Showered, shaved and dressed, Booth grabbed his laptop and jacket and headed out the door. The drive to the Hoover building was uneventful. Once he reached his office, he had so.

He booted up his laptop and printed out a copy of his report for his records then sent it to the director via email. He was hoping to catch up on some other paper work that he'd been neglecting, but the phone rang, informing him of a new case.

When he arrived at the scene, he noticed that Cam had sent Zach. He really had nothing against the little brainiac, but he wasn't Bones.

"OK, Zach, what do we have?"

Zach jumped and turned to see Booth standing over him. "Um, it's a female, between 25-30 years of age. Cause of death isn't apparent at this time."

Booth feels the tension radiating off of the young doctor. "'K, people!" Booth yells. "Let's pack up everything and send it to the Jeffersonian." He turned back to Zach. "Good job, Zach. Stay here and make sure they do it right. When you find something I can use, call me." Booth scribbled his cell phone number on the back of a business card and handed it to Zach.

Booth spent the rest of the day following leads. He had interviewed the couple who had discovered the body and the owner of the property. He felt there was something off about the owner, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He was tired and frustrated and ready to go home, but he needed to check in with the Squints to see if they had anything for him.

Cam was in her office, doing paper work. Hodgins was doing something with the dirt the victim was found buried in and Zach was studying the skeletal remains closely. Angela was the only one who didn't seem to be occupied at the moment.

"Hey, Booth." Angela said with a sad smile. "How are you doing?"

"Not too bad, been better. You?"

"The same, I guess."

They stood in an awkward silence for several moments before Zach approached them. "The skull is ready for you, Angela."

"Thanks, Zach. Um, I guess I'll be seeing you around, huh, Booth?"

"Well, whenever there is a case." Booth answered, not knowing what else to say.

"OK, what do you have?" Booth said, turning his attention to Zach.

Zach looked a little pale. "I am not comfortable making assumptions. I would like to have the opportunity to go over my findings again before making any definitive statements."

Booth sighed. He hadn't really expected any less from Zach. Bones had taught him well. 'Um, ok, fine. Just remember, the longer you take, the longer the killer may have to find another victim." Maybe that would be enough to speed up the process.

Booth left the Jeffersonian and headed home. He was half-way there when he remembered he'd left his laptop in his office. Due to the annoying daily reports he still had to file, he needed it. He whipped around and headed back to the Hoover Building.

He entered his office and noticed that he had left the little machine on all day and the icon showing new mail was blinking. He clicked the icon and his new message popped up on the screen.

FROM:Bones

TO: Booth

SUBJECT: believe

Please believe in me. I need you

B

Booth sat heavily in his chair. He was somewhere between scared shitless and pissed as hell. Either she was really here and trying to contact him or someone in this building was fucking with him. Either way, he wasn't a happy man.


	7. Chapter 7

When Booth unlocked his door, he decided if he saw anything, he would just ignore it. He walked carefully through the apartment and was relieved that nothing jumped out at him.

He opened a bottle of water and thought about what he would have for diner. He was getting sick of ordering take-out for one. He pulled out the makings for a sandwich and began to make what would pass for his only meal of the day.

"Booth." he heard a faint voice say his name.

"If you are really my Bones, my partner," he looked around, "knock the knife off into the floor."

He stood back and watched in disbelief as the knife he had used moved to the edge of the counter and fell to the floor.

"Oh, God." Booth whispered. "OK, so you're here. Why can't I see you? I saw you before."

Slowly, as if through a foggy window, she began to appear before him. She became more solid as the moments passed, until she was as real as she had been the night before.

"Booth, do you believe in me? Do you believe that I am here?" she asked in a desperate tone.

"I don't know. I don't know what to believe." Booth took a deep breath. "I'll believe in you if you can tell me something about us that only Bones would know."

Temperance smiled. "Booth, you taught me how the laws of physics can be broken."

Booth let out a startled gasp. He fell to his knees and wept. "I'm so sorry, Bones. I'm so sorry I didn't believe you. I'm sorry, Bones. This is just too weird for me. It goes against everything I have ever believed. Right now, you should be in Heaven, looking down over me. Not standing in my kitchen as a ghost."

"I have figured out one thing. I can only appear to you if you truly believe I am here. If you doubt me, I become too weak to do anything."

"I don't know what to say. This is all so strange."

"Booth, I didn't make the rules. I'm not even sure there are any other rules. I haven't met anyone else who can explain this to me." Booth could almost feel the frustration coming off of her in waves. She started pacing back and forth in front of him. "I mean, shouldn't there be somebody waiting to tell you what you can and cannot do? Maybe a rule book laying around? It took me a long time to figure out how to just move things around."

"No white light? No friends and family waiting on the other side?" Booth asked.

"There was a bright light. But I was alone." She told him about her experience in the field. "After that happened, I thought about you and I was suddenly here."

They sat in silence for several minutes. Booth, just looking at the face he thought he would never see again. "I'm so sorry, Bones. I feel like I failed you, again." Booth said, "I tried to save you, but it was too late."

She nodded. "I know you did. There was nothing you could do. Even if you had been right there the moment it happened, I would have been dead before the paramedics could have gotten to us. Don't blame yourself."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I really do need a drink right now." Booth got up and grabbed a beer out of the fridge.

"How long have you been...I don't know, back?" Booth asked.

"I don't know. I really have no sense of time. It seems like it could have been a while, though." She paused, "How long have I been...gone?"

"A little less than 10 months. I first started sensing you, I don't know, maybe after 3 or four months." Booth shook his head. "Um, I thought I was loosing my mind."

"I tried to communicate with you, tell you know I was here. I spent a lot of time just walking around the apartment with you. I tried touching you a few times, but I couldn't make that contact. I could see what was happening to you."

Booth winced, remembering some of his finer moments since her death, "What did you see?"

"Um, it wasn't pleasant. You were drinking too much. You were slowly killing yourself. Why would you do that?"

"Bones, without you around to keep me in line, I was out of control. Nothing made any sense to me. All I knew was that, after that night, we were where I wanted us to be and then you were gone. There was this big empty painful hole in my life and it couldn't be filled, so I did what I could to numb myself to that pain."

Temperance nodded. She remembered how she had felt when he had 'died'. Those were the two worst weeks of her life. If he had hurt half as much as she had....

"Booth, I need to tell you something. After I died and went to that place. I don't know if it was the Heaven or Hell you talked to me about, or what it was, but something happened to me there. I know things I didn't know before. I understand ideas that were once foreign to me."

"I didn't think there was anything you didn't know, Bones." Booth said, smiling.

"No one person can know everything, Booth."

"There's the Bones I know and love." Booth caught himself. "I mean.."

"I know what you mean. And I know you did love me. That is one concept that I understand now. Love." It saddened her that she would never have the opportunity to put that knowledge to use. "I knew that when you were holding me, just before I died. You will never understand how much those last few moments of my life meant to me. You were there. I wasn't alone when I was dying on that sidewalk. I don't know how I knew it, but I did. I knew that you loved me."

"Love, not loved. I will always love you." Booth said.

Booth lifted his hand. "Can I touch you?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't figured all of this out yet." Before she could start explaining her current situation, he reached for her.

She sighed as his hand grazed her cheek. His hand didn't pass through her as she had expected

"Did you feel that?" He asked, voice trembling.

She nodded. "I forgot what it was like to be touched." She raised her hand and stroked his jaw, feeling the stubble. "You need a shave."

Booth pulled her to him and placed a tender kiss on her lips. She held on tight and deepened the kiss.

Booth laughed as he pulled away from her. "I still can't believe this is real. You're here and I can touch you."

"I couldn't touch anything before. I tried so many times, it exhausted me to simply begin to move small objects. It was slightly easier to work with electronics."

Booth grinned, "You did write that report, didn't you? On my laptop."

She nodded. "Well, it was either that or join you in the shower. I didn't want to cause you to have an accident, so I decided to try to prove to you that I was really here."

"I hate to look a gift horse in the mouth, but why are you here? I thought people came back only if they had unfinished business, or something like that."

"Like I said, Booth, I don't know anything. I figured the other stuff out on my own." Temperance said.

Booth slipped his arms around her and held her close. He was luckiest man in the world.

The woman he loved was back in his life and in his arms.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. didn't like me for a while. I kept getting errors each time I tried to do anything other than just read.

Once again, thank you all for the kind words. I would continue writing even without them, but it's nice to know people are reading and enjoying what comes out of my warped mind.

Booth woke early the next morning with an unfamiliar weight resting on his chest. He tensed breifly as he remembered the oh-so-real dream he had that night. Opening his eyes, he saw that it hadn't been a dream. There she was, curled up beside him with her head resting on his chest.

Sensing he was awake, she raised her head, smiling at him, "Sleep well?" she asked.

Booth nodded, "Very well. You?"

She shook her head. "I don't need to sleep." Temperance ran her fingers over his chest, tracing his well defined muscles.

"Wasn't it boring for you? Just laying here all night?" Booth asked.

"Not at all. I've always enjoyed watching you sleep." She said, smiling softly at him.

He held her close, running his hands up and down her side. "We need to talk about all of this. I mean, what do we do now?"

"I have no idea." Temperance sighed.

"Bones, what else have you tried doing? Can other people see you or is it just me?"

"You're the only person I have tried to contact."

Booth was mildly shocked by this. "Really? What about your dad, or Russ? Angela?"

"It's hard to explain. When I was in that place and thought of you, I came right to you. I tried to do the same with Dad and Angela, I thought about them, but nothing happened. I was still here. For whatever reason, I think this is where I am supposed to be."

Booth nodded, "Good. This is where I want you."

The work day crept by for Booth. He would much rather have been home with his Bones. He thought leaving her this morning had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done. But, as he sat as his desk, sifting through evidence, witness statements and paper work, he realized that leaving her at home was nothing. Watching her being lowered into the cold, damp Earth had been the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life and he was thankful that she was back in his life. When he focused on that day, a cold chill ran through his body.

On his way home, he swung by the Jeffersonian. He needed a file that Zach was working on. He spent a moment watching the Squints on the platform, doing whatever it is that Squints do.

"Hey, guys." Booth said as he swiped his card and bounded up the steps to join them. "Have anything good for me?"

Angela watched Booth carefully. This was the most animated she'd seen him since Bren's death. "Yeah, I do. Just got a hit on the victim. Her name was Cynthia Barton, 26 year old teacher's aide from here in Arlington." She handed him a printout with all the dead woman's details.

He looked at the paper in his hand. "All right then, I'll contact the family in the morning." He turned to leave, but Angela stopped him.

"Booth, could I see you in my office for a minute?"

Booth looked at his watch. "Um, will this take long? There's somewhere I have to be."

Angela smiled sweetly at him, "It'll just take a minute, Sweetie. I swear."

As Angela opened the door to her office, she was thinking how to ask Booth such a personal question. In reality, it wasn't any of her concern. But as Bren's best friend, she felt she needed to step in.

"Booth, are you seeing anyone?"

Booth was taken aback by the question. His first thought was 'Yes, in fact I am. I'm seeing Bones' ghost.' but he didn't think that would go over too well. "Not right now. Why?"

"I know you and Bren were really close, no matter how much you both denied it. And, well, you've been acting like her widower. I hate seeing you so depressed all the time. I know she would hate it, too. I also know you have been..having some problems. I just thought that maybe you might want to start getting out more, around other people." Angela had worked this out in her head, but he actual words seemed to loose their affect.

"What are you trying to say, Ange?" Booth asked, only slightly irritated.

"As much as I believe that you and Bren would have been the perfect couple, I think you need to start dating. Look, I know Bren loved you, or as close to love as she would allow. And I know you loved her, but you...I don't know. I'm not saying this right." Angela huffed. "I'm sorry. Let's just pretend that this conversation never happened."

"Ange, I know you are trying to tell me this because you care. I have to believe that or I would be really pissed right now." Booth took a deep breath. "I know you are trying to be a good friend, and I really do appreciated, but I don't think now is a good time to start dating someone. And as for my 'problem', I'm starting to get things under control."

"Booth, I'm sorry. I just...."

"I know, Angela. You want me to be happy. And I can honestly tell you, I am as happy as I possibly can be at this time."

Temperance raced to the door when she heard Booth's key slide into the lock. She had so many things to tell him. She'd been experimenting, something she was very good at, and had made some amazing discoveries that she couldn't wait to tell Booth about. He barely made it inside when she was in his arms.

"Where have you been?" She asked, her face pressed against his neck.

"At work. Then I had to stop by the lab to pick up something for tomorrow." He lifted her face and placed a tender kiss on her lips "I missed you."

Temperance smiled, "I missed you, too." She pulled him back to her. Her mouth pressed against his and she was amazed at the softness of his lips. She slowly traced his lips with her tongue as one hand cupped his jaw. She decided that they could talk later.

He moan when he felt her tongue press against his lips, asking for entry. He allowed her to deepen the kiss. His hands skimmed her shoulders and slid down her arms. As he wrapped his arms around her to pull her closer, she sighed against his mouth. She had never felt this way in a man's arms before. She was light headed and felt as if she were floating.

Suddenly, she felt herself being pushed away. "Bones, we can't..I mean, we shouldn't...not yet." Booth quickly turned from her and left her standing in the middle of the living room, wondering what the hell just happened.


	9. Chapter 9

Booth sat on the edge of his bed, wondering what the hell just happened. He had the woman he loved more than life its self in his arms and was feeling pretty good about the whole thing. He wanted her and he knew she wanted him. What the hell was wrong with him? Why had he walked away from the thing he wanted most?

He paced his bedroom, wondering what to do next. He knew they needed to talk about a few things, but after that little scene he made in the living room, he didn't think this was a good time. So much had happened in such a short time. So many things that he couldn't explain, things that went against everything he had ever been taught.

Less than a week ago, he was wishing he had told her he loved her and mounring all of the things they would never get to do together. Now, she was back in his life and he had no idea what to do. He was getting a second chance at happiness.

That was it! He was getting a second chance and had no intention of messing things up. Booth was torn. He didn't want to screw this up, but he didn't know how much time they had together. She could disappear tomorrow and he may never see her again. But he wanted to enjoy each step of forming an intimate relationship with his Bones.

Booth sat back on the bed and weighed his options. If he rushed things...hell, they'd known each other for 4 years now. How in the hell was this considered rushing? He'd always been an act-on-your-gut-feelings kind of guy. Bones was the one who had to think things through. He sighed. Her way worked for her and his was worked for him. Booth stood and strode toward the door.

His decision was made.

* * *

Temperance sat with her head in her hands, wanting to cry, but the tears just wouldn't come. She knew crying was irrational, but she couldn't help it. After everything she had been through, being rejected by Booth was the worst. He loved her, he said he did. She loved him. Why had he pushed her away?

She laughed at her own thoughts. "Why wouldn't he push me away. I am dead. Why would he want me? I'm freakin' dead."

Temperance jumped when she heard Booth's voice behind. "I do want you, Bones. More than I have ever wanted anyone or anything in my life."

"I said that out loud?" she asked in a small voice.

Booth nodded. "Don't ever think I don't want or need you. I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that you are back in my life. Like you said, you're dead." He gave her a half smile and shook his head. "Most of the time, that's the end of a relationship." Booth moved over to the couch and took her hand. "But in our case, it looks like it's just the begining."

Temperance squeeze Booth's hand and sighed. "I love you, Booth. It terrifies me, but I do love you."

Booth pulled her into his arms, "Bones, I love you too. And I am as terrified as you are,"

Temperance pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. "Why are you terrified?"

Booth closed his eyes and tried to form an answer she would understand. Hell, he wasn't sure he understood completly.

"Bones, when you..." he couldn't make himself say the word. "When you were gone, I thought every chance at happiness I ever had was buried with you. I was seriously depressed. If it weren't for Parker, I would have ended my misery the night we buried you."

Temperance gasped and held him closer. "Thank God for Parker." she whispered.

"I don't want to go into all the gory details right now, but I know you saw how low I'd sunk. I guess you saw me at my worst." Booth leaned back against the sofa, rubbing his free hand over his face. "It was bad."

Temperance nodded, "I saw."

"All I wanted was another chance. I knew it wasn't possible, but I wanted to turn the clock back and stop it from happening. Keep you safe by my side and tell you how I felt.

Temperance smiled and leaned against Booth. "I don't know how this is going to work."

"Me, either." Booth said, honestly. "But, for right now, we take it one day at a time."

"I'm scared." she whispered against his neck as he held her close.

"Me, too, Bones. Me, too."

They sat and held each other the rest of the night. Temperance knew the minute that Booth had fallen asleep. His arms became heavy around her and his breathing became deep and rhythmic.

She gently lifted his arm and placed it around the pillow she'd been laying on. Waiting a moment to make sure that he wouldn't wake up, she stood.

Temperance paced the living room while she considered the next step. She really needed to figure out how a relationship between them could really work. It was obvious to her that a regular relationship was out of the question. They couldn't go anywhere together. He couldn't take her out to eat. She wasn't even sure she could sustain a solid form long enough to make love. So far, she'd been able to as long as he was around, but felt herself....fading, for lack of a better term, when he was gone.

She was tempted to throw something, destroy something. She couldn't express the level of anxiety she was feeling at not knowing what was going on. Temperance took a deep breath and relaxed, allowing herself to fade.


	10. Chapter 10

Here is the latest installment. I hope I don't step all over anyone's beliefs here. This just came to me as I was struggling to continue this story. I hope you like it.

It was a peacful feeling. Almost like floating in a warm fog. All she was aware of was a feeling of weightlessness.

"This is nice." she said aloud, to no one, as she didn't expect anyone to be there.

"It is. We all need to chance to recharge once in a while." The deep masculine voice said, coming from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.

Brennan tensed. "Who are you?"

The weightless feeling subsided and Brennan's vision cleared. She had a clear view of a tall bearded man standing just a feww feet from her.

"My name is Sebastian." the man replied. "I am the one who, well, for lack of a better term, looks after you."

Brennan, always suspicious asked, "What do you mean?"

"I guess I should start by telling you, I made a mistake. Well, not me directly, but you don't really need the whole story." Sebastian looked at the woman standing in front of him. "Um, well, you were not supposed to die that night, so you were not on my schedule and I was not there to meet you. I am here now to rectify that error."

"I don't understand."

"When a child is born, he or she is given what you might call a guardian."

"Like a guardian angel?" Brennan asked. "There's no such things as angels."

"Well, I am not exactly what most would consider an angel." He laughed. "Like I said, we are all assigned guardians. The guardian is supposed to be there at the end of your life and assist your transition to the other side. As I said before, you were not supposed to die. I was not there to meet you when you awoke in the meadow, so you became Earth-bound. I do apologize for that. I am here to help you, what is the popular phrase, cross over."

"Cross over to where?" Brennan asked, not liking the sound of this.

"The other side. Hevean, Paradise, Eden, Zion, abode of the blessed; celestial bliss, glory,

Elysium, Elysian fields, Arcadia, bowers of bliss, garden of the Hesperides, third heaven; Valhalla, Walhall,Nirvana." Sabastian smiled. "Every culture have a name for it. You of all people should know that."

"Which of those terms is the correct one?" She asked.

"All of them."

"What's it like there?" Brennan asked, always curious.

"It is what you make of it."

"It's time. We must go now."

"What about Booth?"

"Who, or what, is Booth?" Sebastian asked.

"Seeley Booth. My partner, my best friend, my...my everything." Brennan sobbed.

Sebastian shook his head. "I am afraid he is not my charge. When his time comes, assuming everything happens as it should, he will be greeted by his guardian and will assist him in crossing over."

"I won't get to see him again?"

"I am afraid not. Let us go now."

"Do I have a choice? Do I have to go with you? Can I return to Booth?" She spoke quickly, wanting answers her all-important questions.

"One of the most wonderful things about like, and in this case, death is free will. You may do as you wish, but I must warn you. If you remain Earth-bound, it can be unpleasent."

"I don't know what you consider 'unpleasent' but spending eternity without Booth is unthinkable." Brennan's mind was made up. If she didn't have Booth, it wasn't worth being there.

"As you wish." Sebastian bowed slightly. "When you return to your Earth-bound existance, you will have your Booth. But I am afraid that the opportunity to cross over may not be available to you again."

Brennan smiled and nodded her understanding. "Without Booth, it doesn't matter."

With that, Sebastian faded and so did the scene surrounding her. Brennan found herself back in Booth's living room. She raced into his bedroom to find him still curled up with the pillow she placed in his arms as a substitute for her. She smiled as she watched him sleep. She knew she had made the right choice. She was exactly where she belonged. With Booth.


End file.
